First in their houses: victory is all but assured for a number of out candidates running for their state legislatures this year. Meet three who have already scored important firsts in not always gay-friendly states.

Kathy Webb Arkansas house of representatives 

Kathy Webb has been interested in politics her whole life. In fact, she has worked on every presidential campaign since sixth grade, when she was John F. Kennedy's campaign manager at her elementary school.

Eventually, the Arkansas native and lifelong Democrat received a degree in political science at Virginia's Randolph-Macon Woman's College. She came of age as an activist in the civil rights movement, then the antiwar movement and the women's movement.

Webb, 57, who came out as a lesbian in the 1970s, is now bringing her activism to the state capitol in Little Rock. She won the Democratic primary in May for the 37th district seat in the state house of representatives with 57% of the vote despite having three opponents in the race. And without a Republican challenger in the general election, Webb is almost guaranteed to become the first openly gay or lesbian member of the state's legislature.

The victory was so decisive, Webb says, in part because she is so well-known in her hometown. "I grew up in this district," she says. "My family has lived in this district for 50 years." Webb's father is a retired United Methodist minister in the community, and she is the owner of a popular local restaurant. "People know me here. And they know what I've done in Little Rock on a multitude of issues."

Webb spent 12 years in Washington, D.C., where she served as a national board member for the National Organization for Women and helped organize the Clinton-Gore presidential inauguration in 1997.

She returned to her home state four years ago and decided to get involved in state politics. Her bid to join the legislature was well-received, even garnering an important endorsement from the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, a daily newspaper with a conservative editorial page.

Although she describes her district as "one of the more liberal" in Arkansas, Webb says she did encounter some resistance while campaigning. "A few people were pretty hostile about my involvement with NOW, and there was some questioning about whether I could be effective in the legislature given my sexual orientation," she says. "But voters decided based on my record that I would be effective, so that got nipped in the bud."

Al McAffrey Oklahoma house of representatives 

Al McAffrey is the kind of middle-of-the-roader who makes a good candidate in Oklahoma. He's a 58-year-old father of three. He served in the U.S. Navy and on the Oklahoma City police force. He's a board member of a local Episcopal church as well as a voting member of the Choctaw Nation. He's also a small-business owner and a funeral director. So it shouldn't be a surprise that McAffrey won a seat in the Oklahoma legislature--except for the fact that he is gay.

The Oklahoma native jokes in his Southern drawl that his status as a gay man, a former cop, and an American Indian makes him "the Village People all wrapped up in one." But all kidding aside, McAffrey's victory in the Oklahoma Democratic primary in July is a serious milestone for the Sooner State. He won 51% of the vote in a three-way race for the 88th district house seat, which includes downtown Oklahoma City. And since there is no Republican opponent in the general election, McAffrey is bound to become his state legislature's first openly gay member.

McAffrey's district is regarded as the state's most liberal, so his sexual orientation was not much of an issue, he says. He recalls one instance when a voter "looked me right in the eye and asked, 'Are you gay?'" After answering yes, McAffrey asked the voter if he was less likely to vote for him. "The guy said, 'No. I just wanted to know if you are an honest man.'"

For now McAffrey is meeting many of his future house colleagues and dealing--in good humor--with being tagged "the gay rep." Given his historic victory, McAffrey looks back with mixed emotions at the fact that he thought about dropping out of the race last year after his partner, J.T. Estrada, died of a stroke. "He was always telling me to get out there and work," McAffrey recalls fondly.

Patricia Todd Alabama house of representatives 

Once she was officially declared the winner for a seat in the Alabama house of representatives--5 1/2 weeks after voters picked her--Patricia Todd and her partner took a well-deserved weeklong cruise to Bermuda. As tough as the campaign leading up to the June 6 Democratic primary and July 18 runoff had been, what came next was even tougher.

In the runoff Todd won the 54th district seat representing the northern part of Birmingham by a mere 59 votes. But since she was the only white candidate in what had been a five-way primary race, her remaining opponent for the runoff, Gaynell Hendricks, balked. Hendricks's camp launched a challenge to Todd's victory, alleging that she had not only stolen votes but also had failed to file a campaign finance report--including a $25,000 contribution from the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund--on time.

The allegations appeared to have nothing to do with Todd's sexual orientation and everything to do with her skin color. "In Alabama race is always an issue," she says, "with the state's long history of discrimination and prejudice. But here I was, a white liberal who sides with the black caucus, and they are treating me as if I were joining the KKK."

After a series of hearings and political machinations the state Democratic Party's executive committee upheld Todd's victory. And with no Republican on the general election ballot in November--and barring any victory by a write-in candidate--the seat will be Todd's, making her the state's first openly gay or lesbian elected official.

Although her district reputedly has the highest concentration of gays in the state, Todd encountered some homophobia dung the campaign. Pamphlets circulated in black neighborhoods, for example, labeled her a "bulldigger." "I don't even know what a 'bulldigger' is," she says.

Todd has a "tell it like it is" style that has aided her activism over the years. "I'll always be an activist," says Todd. "For me, becoming state rep is a means to an end. It's a seat at the table."